Elevator



0d 13, 1931 M. s. cARMlcHAEL 1,827,068

ELEvAToR y Filed oct. 1o. 192s 2 sheets-sneer. 2

a ZJ /5 4 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 amm s. cammen, or amara, wIsooNsm armaron.

Application Med October 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,479.

The presenty invention relates to a means for elevating fruit, vegetables and other materials, and has particularly to do with a lifting instrumentality suitable lfor use in can- P neries and the like.

The invention also relates to the combination with an instrumentality for elevating fruit and vegetables of a means for Washing or cleansing 'such materials.

Heretofore, it has been common and customary to raise fruits and vegetables, say, for

cal elevating means apparatus being shown in conveyor bucket, by

struction,

example, peas, from one4 level to another in the cannery during the canning operation, that is, from oneV oor to a higher Hoor, a

a belt conveyor, or similar devices. The opportunity to wash, rinse, or cleanse the peas during this operation has not existed, and the employment of mechanihas resulted in bruising, breaking, cutting, and otherwise damaging large numbers of the peas and of theother items during elevatio The purpose of the present invention is to furnish an improvement in an elevating means and toy render its utility greater by augmenting its scope by adding thereto a washing or rinsing effect.` The provision of mechanlcal devices which will not tend to injure, harm, or hurt the tender peas or other fruit which may be placed in the elevator for lifting is a further aim carried out in the present construction. f

These, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are attained by the novel concombination, elements disclosed in the device herein illustrated. A single embodiment of the invention is disclosed, and in the drawings, two sheets of which are submitted are hereby made a part of this specification Figure 1 is an elevation,

section, the pumping devices and conduits shown disjoined and in'reduced Figure 2 is a vertical section 2^2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1; Y

Figure 4 form of device for proportion on the line imparting intermittent and arrangement of a part of accessory therefrom being 1s a vertical section through voneV motion to the revolving 1n the elevator; and l F1gure5 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation F1gure 1. Y Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawings and in the specification. y l

Reference should/be had first to Figures 1,`2, and 3. 1n a drum 10 /which may be mounted uponvlegs' 11 or otherwise-suitably anchored are top and bottom plates 12 and 13. Within said juxtaposition with the top 'and-bottoni plates 12 and 13 of said drum 10, and which are of such 'a snug lit. thereagainst that they effectively prevent harminders 17 are of a length substantially equal to the inside longitudinal dimension of drum ore or fewer tubes may be used'.

For the purpose of rotating said cylinder 14 relatively to and shaft 18 is anchored or ke ed in the top and lbottom plates l and 16 ofy said cylinder, the

'upper end ofthe shaft 18 extending through the top plate 12 of said drum and terminating ina gear wheel 19.

Extending upwardly from said drum is a discharge pipe 20 which is suitably aiiixed to said top plate 12 b the employment of an annular shoulderedy boss or Han e 21 as is shown'in Figure 2. Other means or fastening may be employed if desired.

Directly beneath the discharge pipe 20 is an inlet 22 to said drum 10, the inside diameter of the outlet 20 and inlet 22 and each cylinder 17 being the same. Said inlet- 22 may be mounted in the same manner upon the bottom plate 13 as the discharge is mounted upon the to plate, there being shown an annular shoul ered boss or flange 23 for this along the line 5-5 of cylinder employed l drum 10 is a rotatable member 14 having top and bottom plates, 15 and 16, which are in '76 top and ottom plates 15 and 16. Said cylwithin said drum 10, a

' most annoying, and

placing water Vfrom inlet 22 to outlet purpose. llt is essential for perfect operation that the outlet and inlet pipes 2() an 22 be in perfect alignment so that whenv the cylinders 17 register therewith there will be a direct and uninterrupted passage tor fluid which the device oerates includes the placing of material to e elevated in one of the cylinders 17 and then forcing such material'upwardly out of said cylinder through the discharge pipe 2O by an iniux of displacing fluid from the inlet 22. There must be means for rotating said cylinders 17 to bring them one at a time into registry with the inlet and discharge ipes 22 and 20, and means tor loading sai cylinders or tubes 17 anterior to the time they are brou ht into such registry..

For this latter purpose, a hopper 24 is disposed upon the top plate 12. When the cylinders or tubes 17 are of small diameter, it is preferable that the discharge section o such hopper have such a dimension that it bridges over parts oftwo oi the tubes 17 lwhen the cylinder 14 is stationary. H the cylinders or tubes 17 are of larger diameter, it is better t 'at the hopper 24 register directly with only one tube 17 when cylinder 14 is stationary. The material which is fed into the cylinders 17 through hopper 24 is ted dthereinto in any regulated manner desire After a tube 17 has registered in the position whereby water is forced therethrough to clear it o its contents, the entire contents of vegetable matter, such as peas, is discharged rom such tube, but the tube 17 is filled with the displacing water. rllhis water or fluid must be discharged in order to facilitate the rapid and efcient reloading of the tube.' Were the tubes 17 to remain lled with fluid, it would be with ditticulty only'that each could be reloaded, and there wouldbe as an incident to such loading, it the material to be elevated was lighter than water, considerable notation which would be where the goods to be elevated had a speciic gravity greater than vthe elevating duid, there would be an over dow of fluid up through the loading hopper 24.

lt is advisable to remove all of such disor the greater portion thereof. Gravity discharge of such fluid for such purpose is not believed to be entirely efficient and is wasteful.

i For these reasons, at any suitable place adapted to register with one of the 4tubes 17 which registering therewith when such cylinder is in stationary position, an unloa-der or fluid discharge pipe 25 is provided, which pipe 25 is adapted to rovide a source of supply to 'a pump 26. n annular shouldered iange or boss 27 is provided upon plate 13 to seat rlhe cycle upon t through the 28 to the drum 10 is a gate va has been discharged of material and- :tsaaeeey said pipe 25 as shown. The pump 26 is d adapted to .and pump 26 are keyed to a single s att 29 suitably mounted upon 32 and are adapted to be ing belt passing around the pulley 33 intermediate the brackets 30 and 31. Pumps 26 and 28 are suitably secured upon brackets 34 and 35 in juxtaposition to brackets 31 and 32.

The circulation of fluid through the main pump 28 is from a source of supply of water 36, which may be the city supply, through a conduit 37, to the pump 28, from the pump through a conduit 38 to the bottom of the drum 10, said conduit 38 terminating in the inlet pipe 22, and at periodic or timed intervals upwardly through a tube 17 and out brackets 30, 31 and driven by any driv- 39 comprising a screen 4() to receive the maL terial which has been elevated, such screen',

being disposed at a point above the bottom of thehopper 39 which provides a trough 41 having a discharge pipe 42 therefrom.

ln the conduit 37 leading from the source 28 is a main valve' of suppl 36 to the pum 43, whic is adapted to he employed for the pur ose of controlling the supply of wat-er to t e device.

Conduit 38 is adapted to receive in addition to the now from pump 28, the discharge from pump 26 so that the clean water taken from cylinder 17 maybe again used as a part of.

the elevating fluid.

1n the conduit 38 from the pumps 26 and lve 44. The purpose ot this valve is to prevent a back- How of fluid carrying vegetable lmatter into either' of the pumps 26 and 28v upon the shutting down of the pumps or an accident closing oil the supply of duid.

One of the marked Ynovelties of the present device is the fact that thevegetable material when projected upwardly out of the tubes 17 and through the discharge pipe 2O is most thoroughly washed or rinsed. rlhe force of discharging fluid is such that the material to be elevated which anteriorly has been closely packed and probably not thoroughly discharge pipe 20to a hopperv washed because, at all times, in 'surface contact' with adjacent particles of a similar nature, is spread apart by the Jforce of the elevating duid and the great excess thereof so that each elevated particle is separated from each other particle and thel entire surztace of the pea or other vegetable ,matter is brought into, direct contact with fresh water under pressure whereby any remainingr dirt or removable material thereon vmay be removed. ln the illustrated form of the device, the fluid, after it has been once projected through the pumps 26 and 28 lis not again used, thus u a variety of ways.

' 51. To produce a swinging movement of the I v lever 51 against the 'action of thel spring 56 tubesflf? under the .which the lever 51 is free'to in Figure 4. l

By a retractile spring 56, said lever is nor-.-

' plate 49 so that insuring an elicient washing for the fruit or ve etable matter which is eleva-ted'.

s has already been indicated, the magazine 14 or tubes 17 is rotated with an intermittent motion, one tube 17 at a time being moved into joint vregistration with the inlet 22 24 so thatadequate loading thereofV can be..

had. rIhe movement of the material to be elevated under the loading iniluenceof gravity (the loading means employed,) is generally much slower than the discharge of the force of pump 26.

The intermittent motion preferred for the operation of the device may be obtained in nly one form or method is disclosed. This is disclosed in Figuresv 1, 4, and5, and it is identical with the means disclosed in applicants prior application, Serial No. 249,035, li-led January 24, 1928, and entitled Elevator. A brief description thereof will be given.

Disposed upon the drum are two bracketsj in.l which is journaled a shaft 46 having a gear.A 47 meshing with the gear 19 upon the vertical shaft 18 anchored or Ikeyed to the two revolving'plates 15 and 16. Upon that `end of said shaft 46 which extends beyond the drum 10, the right-hand side in Figure 1, is a sleeve 48, the inner end of which is formed or equipped with a circular plate 49. Keyed upon said sleeve isa relatively large belt pulley 50.. Pivoted to the sleeve 48 at the outer face of the plate49 is a lever 51 equipped .with an inwardly extending pin 52 movable through a notch 53 at the periphery of theplate 49.

Such lever 51 is limited in its swinging movements by'a horizontal guide plate 54 secured to the periphery ofthe plate 49 and formed with a horizontal slot 55 through move as is shown a direction away from the the'pin 52`Will be drawn out of the notch 53 by said mally pulled in substantially spring 56 being of the coiltype and anchored at its ends to the pulley 50 and to said lever and the consequent projection ofthe pin 52 through the notch 53, there is upon thedrum 10 directly beneath the plate 49 a transversely extending arcuate shaped track 57 formed with an upstandinv per end of the trac dicated in Figure 5, and flares outward y as 25 preparatory'to loading- -50 that the sidewall 58. At the up'-l h n 57, wall 58extends considerably beyond such track, as is clearl in,-

is indicated at 59. Any suitable bracket such as that shown may be employed toA hold the track 57 upon drum 10.

Thus, 'the'sleeve 48 carrying the notched plate 49and lever'51 when rotated in a direction to move said lever 51 toward the upper end ofthe track 57, Will cause engagement betweenl the. outer endv of the lever 51 and the flared end 59 of the track thereby causing said' lever 51 to be moved inwardly, thus forcing the 7 pin 52 -through the notch 53. The track 5 will cause thelever 51 to be held in such position during a predetermined degree of' the rotation of the plate 49. f

Upon the shaft spaced relation to the plate 49 is a second cir` cular plate 60 having its inner face studded with horizontally` extending pins 61, one for each of the tubes 17, that will be engaged one ata time by the pin 52 of the lever 5l when the lever 51 is moved inwardly by its engagement with the track 57. This engagement will cause the rotation of the plate 60 and consequently the shaft 18' will be turned a predetermined distance, an eighth turn in this instance, thus rotating the revolving cylindrical unit 14 within the drum 10. rIhe degree of the movement of cylinder 14 is so regulated that accurate registration is obtained, with each advance of such revolving cylinder, between one tube 17 and the inlet and outlet 22 and 20.

Immediately the lever 5l come disassociated with the track 57 the spring 56 between the pulley 50 and lever 51 will withdraw said lever 51, concurrently moving the pin 52 out of the notch 53 and disengaging said pin 52 from oneof the pins 61 upon plate 60. Y'

It is duringthe period of time required for an almost complete rotation of the pulley tube being intermediate the point it re istersv e alp' 22 and `outlet 20 and t oading/ station 24.

with said inlet proach of the I claim:

1. In a hydraulic elevating device for ar ticles of appreciable size, a unit comprising a plurality of chambers, a liquid inlet pipe communicating with the unit and adapted to discharge into said chambers, a discharge pipe extending therefrom, means whereby said chambers'may be loaded, and suction means for removing liquid from said chamrs 2. In a hydraulic elevating device, a drum aving an aperture inlet in'its bottom wall and an aperture in its to wall, avunit mounted within the drum and including a plurality voi vertically extending material carrying 46 and' keyed vthereto inA shall have becylinder 14 within the drum 10 isA is forced from the inlet 22 a unit mounted for rotation within the drum and including a plurality of vertical tubes, a liquid inlet pi ne communicating with the bottom of the drum, an outlet pipe extending from the top ot the drum Vand arranged for registration with the tubes of the unit one at a time, means whereby the tubes may be loaded, means for rotating the unit, a source of liquid under pressure adapted to discharge material from the tubes, and suction means whereby undischarged liquid remaining 1nsaid tubes may be withdrawn therefrom and again forced thereinto. 4. ln ahydraulic elevating device, a drum, a unit mounted for rotation within the drum and including a plurality of vertical tubes, a liquid inlet pipe communicating with the bottom of the drum,| an outlet pipe extending from the top of the drum, means whereby the tubes may be loaded, means for rotating the unit, a source ot liquid under pressure, an suction means for withdrawing undischarged liquid remaining in said tubes and for adding tllie withdrawn liquid to said source of supp ln a hydraulic elevating device, a closed drum, a unit mounted for rotation within the drum and including a plurality or vertical tubes, a liquid inlet pipe communicating with the bottom ot the drum, a liquid outlet pipe from the top of said drum, a pump whereby liquid under' pressure is adapted to discharge the material from the tubes when the same are disposed between said inlet and outlet pipes, and a pump providing suction means for removing undischarged liquid remaining in said tubes. I

6. ln a hydraulic elevating device, a drum, a unit mounted for rotation within the .drum and including a plurality ot vertical tubes, a liquid inlet pipecommunicating with the bottom ot the drum," an outlet pipe extending from the to of the drum, means whereby the tubes may ge. loaded, means for rotating the unit, a source of liquid, and pump means for forcing such liquid under pressure through said tubes when the same are disposed between said inlet and outlet pipes and for withdrawing undischarged liquid from said tubes after the same have passed out of registration with said inlet and outlet pipes.

7. A hydraulic elevating device comprising a pump for supplying liquid under pressure, a pipe from said pump, a liquid outlet pipe, a rotor including a plurality of parallel mateinto regisf nearest rial carry-inor tubes, means whereby said tubes may be loa ed, suction means tor.withdraw-` ing undischarged liquid from said tubes, and means 'for moving said rotor between said pipe from said pump and said outlet and into association with said liquid withdrawing means. y

8. A hydraulic elevating device comprising a pump for supplying liquid under pressure, a pipe for the liquid under pressure, an outlet pipe for such liquid, a plurality o parallel tubes intermediate said source of liquid and said outlet, suction withdrawing undischarged liquid from said tubes, and means tor imparting periodic movement to said tubes, said last-mentioned means registering said tubes one at a time with said pipe for liquid under pressure and said outlet pipe and said suction means.

'9. ln a hydraulic elevating device, ay unit lcomprising a plurality of tubes, a casing therefore having an inlet portand an outlet port, means for moving said tubes' one at a time past said inlet and said outlet ports, and suction means for lfreeing said, tubes from liquid contents.

l0. ln a hydraulic elevating device, a drum, a unit mounted for rotation within said drum and comprising a plurality ot parallel tubes, there being a liquid inlet port through the bottom of said drum, and a liquid out-let port from said drum, means for rotating said unit, a pump providing a source ot liquid under pressure the liquid therefrom being adapted to pass through said tubes one at a timewhen disposed between said inlet port and said outlet port, and suction means operable when said tubes are not in registry with said inlet and said outlet ports for withdrawing the undischarge liquid contents of said tubes.

ll. Ain elevating device comprising a drum,

a unit oit parallel tubes mounted for movement within 'saiddrum, said drum having a liquid inlet port and an outlet port opposite said inlet port, means for imparting intermittent motion to said unit to register said tubes one at a time with said inlet and said outlet ports, a loading station for said tubes, there also being an opening in said drum for releasing liquid from said tubes, said opening being at a point intermediate said inlet and outlet ports and said loading station, and pumping means comprising a member adapted to Jforce liquid through said tubes and a second member withdrawing liquids from said tubes through said opening and to augment the flow of liquid under pressure through said tubes.

MEAD S. CARMICHAEL.

means for llO 

